Adjustable width small piece folder and stacker



ADJUSTABLE WIDTH SMALL PIECEFOLDER AND sTAcxER A Filed Jan. 5, 1955 C.S. MALOTT, JR

May .19, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 sv w l rra/Wynn y May 19, 1959 C` S.MALOTT, JR

ADJUSTABLE WIDTH SMALL PIECE FOLDER AND S'IIACKER Filed Jan. 5. 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. CZ/FraN NHL 077' J7?.

"May 19, 1959 c. s. MALOTT, JR 2,387,313

ADJUSTABLE WIDTH SMALL PIECE FOLDER AND STACKER Filed Jan. 5, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet i5 May 19, 1959 c. s. MALo'rT, JR

ADJUSTABLE WIDTH SMALL PIECE FOLDER AND STACKER v FiledJan. 5. 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 4 .mlmwml .L mn. f. W 1l) W. mNs; ///V\/ l .0. Mm v\m\\ W\7// SY m M QW).

-UIHITW May 19, 1959 c. s. MALOTT, JR 2,887,313

* ADJUSTABLE WIDTH SMALL PIECE FOLDER AND STACKR "Fml A yllllllnhn AIN1/wrox 6.1. /Frmv f N42 arr Jie.

Arrnwrys United States ADJUSTABLE WIDTH SMALL PIECE FOLDER AND STACKERClifton s. Maine, Jr., Silverton, ohio, signor to The American LaundryMachinery Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio ApplicationJanuary 5, 1955, Serial No. 479,884

8 Claims. (Cl. 270--86) This invention relates to folding and stackingdevices such as are used, for example, to fold laundry atwork articlessuch as towels, pillowcases or the like. The invention is an improvementon that particular type of folding machine which utilizes forwardmovement of a succession of articles along a conveyor for producinglongitudinal folds therein. ,f

For a detailed study of folding and stacking machines of this generaltype reference may be had, respectively, to my prior United StatesLetters Patents No. 2,579,746, granted December 25, 1951, for Machinefor Folding Limp Flat Articles, and No. 2,488,674, granted November 22,1949, for Stacking Device for Folding Machines.

.In United States Letters Patent No. 2,579,746, above identified, thereis disclosed a machine for folding atwork articles of moderate sizewherein each article is moved on a conveyor along the top surface of afixed folding plate with the lateral edges of the article depending fromthe lateral edges of the plate. In their forward progress these lateraledges of the article come into contact withprespective turning wingsextending along and beneath the right and left lateral edges of thefolding plate, and the contour of these wings is such that the saiddepending edges of the article are directed inwardly and progressivelyunder and upwardly towards the folding plate so that when the article ismoved past the folding plate it is longitudinally folded along twowell-defined folding lines which are spaced apart a distance slightlyexceeding the width of the folding plate. Thereafter the article may befolded transversely, after which it proceeds to an automatic stackingdevice such as shown, for example, in my aforesaid United States LettersPatent No. 2,488,674.

It will be understood that in folding machines of the characterdescribed, which make longitudinal folds by moving the article along afolding plate and sequentially turning up the depending edge portions bymeans of suitably curved turning plates, t-he width of the folding platedefines the width of the fold, and this width is approximately one thirdof the maximum Width article which can be handled by the foldingmachine. For example with a folding plate of seven inch width, themaximum width article would be about twenty inches and the minimum widtharticle would be about fourteen inches. Narrower or wider pieces couldnot be folded in that machine, and if the articles were of greater orsmaller width than the above range, one or more additional machineswould be required.

An object of the present invention is to provide a folding machine ofthe type hereinabove under discussion wherein means is provided forreadily varying the width of the folding plate, and for simultaneouslyadjusting the relative spacing between the turning wings, whereby thefolding machineis thus adaptable to operation on articles of aconsiderably extended range of widths.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding machine asdefined in the last preceding paragraph wherein an associated stackingdevice is likewise and simultaneously dimensionally adjustableresponsive to unitary main manipulating means, so as to properly receiveand stack the articles issuing from myjimproved folding means.

@mentari May i9, i959 A further object of the invention is to providesimultaneously-adjustable folding and stacking: means of the typedefined in the last two preceding paragraphs, wherein simpleoperator-operatable means is provided for rapidly and simultaneouslypre-adjusting the width of the folding plate, the spacing of the turningwings, and the dimensional characteristics of the stacker to conform tothe dimensional requirements of the articles to be folded and stacked.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a study of thefollowing description of one embodiment of the invention, in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of folding and stacking meansembodying my invention, the operators position being at the left end ofthe figure.

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views, somewhat enlarged, takenrespectively on the lines 2-2, 3 3, 4-4 and 5- 5, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a plan view from approximately the position of the line 7--7of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the control lever for makingdimensional adjustments in the folding plate, the turning wings, and thestacking device.

General description of the folder and stacker Although the generalcharacteristics and operation of the folding machine shown in thedrawings has been set out with particularlity in my aforesaid U.S.Patent No. 2,579,746, the machine will herein be described sufficientlyto permit an understanding of the.` novel and improved features.

Speaking first generally, with reference generally to Fig. l in thispreliminary description, an operator stands at the left end, beside aso-called compensating feed board comprising a fabric apron`20 uponwhich rests a stack of articles 21, hereinafter assumed to be towelswhich have vbeen ironed and require folding. Member 20 is attached at 22to frame bracket 23, the supporting side arms 24 being pivoted at 25,and the assembly being biased upwardly by tension springs 26. It will beunderstood that the load 21 decreases in weight as the operator placessuccessive towels on the moving feed ribbons 27, and as the weight ofthe load decreases, the stack rises proportionately with decrease inspring loading, with the result that the top towel is always at a.height suitable for the operators convenience. When idle, the feedmechanism is held in place by means of a notched handle arm 28 coastingwith a slotted bracket Z9.

It will be obvious that all mechanism herein described are supported ona frame comprising a base 32, ends 33 and 34, and any suitable ornecessary intermediate columns 35, 36 together with the usual crossbraces, plates, etc., required for a working mechanical unit.

Feed ribbons 27 carry the towel to a central belt 37 and thence over abridge member 38 into the bite between a main conveyor 39 and the uppersurface of a folding plate 40. Conveyor 39 comprises a pair of endlessfabric belts running over a roller 43 at its upper end, nearest theoperatorand a roller 44 at its lower, right-hand end. This latter is thedriver roll, being itself driven by a large sheave 45 from motor 46 bybelt 47. Tension for conveyor belts 39 is maintained by cooperatingtension rolls 48 and 49.

By the time the towel has reached the right end of conveyor belts 39 ithas been longitudinallyfolded, by'

means now to be described.

anemia 3 As the towel slides along the top surface of folding plate 40,with its lateral edge portions depending over the corresponding plateedges, the lead-ing edge corner on the right side (as viewed from theoperators position) makes contact with an angular turned down portion52a of the right hand turning plate 52 (Fig. 7) and is therebyprogressively turned up under folding plate 40, supported by a portionof turning plate 52 which extends under and parallel to plate 40 (Fig.3).

An advance portion 52h of turning'plate 52 is vertically disposed, andat the front end extends out beyond the normal path of the towel toguide the right side of the towel accurately onto plate S2. Similarlythe left depending portion of the ytowel contacts a left side turningvplate part 53a and is progressively turned up onto the supporting plate53 which lies below and parallel to plate 52'. This left turning plate53 has a forward guiding portion 53b, and there is also a portion 53esecured to a supporting strip 53d to guide the towel and controlflapping of the leading edge. These various parts of the turning platesmay be formed in any suitable way, although economic considerations arepersuasive and I have found 'that the main portion of each plate can beformed from mechanically deformed sheet metal, and the vauxiliaryextension portions can be formed separately and attached to the mainportion during the machine assembly.

The towel, thus longitudinally folded around the folding plate,continues to move forwardly as urged by belts 39, crosses a gap G(Fig. 1) and slides down a chute plate 54. In its progress the leadingedge of the towel raised a finger 55 and operates a switch 56 toinitiate operation of a timer (not shown) so as to eventually causeoperation of a transverse folding blade 57 which swings through gap Gand inserts the fold zone of the towel into the bite between rolls 44and 58. Actuation of the folding blade is effected by energization of asolenoid 59 which initiates operation of a one-revolution clutch 60 inthe stacker, and which through chain drive 61, 62 rotates acontrolling'cam 63 in the cross fold mechanism. Simultaneously astacking operation is performed on the immediately preceding towel 'byrotation of stacker cams 64, as more fully shown and described in U.S.Patent No. 2,488,674 to which I have previously referred.

The folded towel slides up around arcuate guide plate 66. (Figs. 1 and4)v and on to another set of conveyor belts 67 which run around a roll68 adjacent to the stacker. The -two innermost belts 67a go through acutout in a bridge member 69 pivotally` connected to the front end ofthe stacker plate 70. A narrow center belt 67b ru-ns onwardly into thestacker, supported by a roller 71 at the stacker end. This stacker beltis adjustably tiltable relative to the upper surface of the stackerplate, roller 71 being adjustable vertically by means of adjusting knob72 (Fig. l) as disclosed in my aforesaid Patent No. 2,488,674. A frontheight adjustment is also provided consisting of a smooth curved shoe 73(Fig. 5) contacting the under surface of belt 67h. Thisshoe is on an arm73a fixed to a shaft 74 jou'rnalled in brackets carried on the frame,and operable up and down through linkage to a plunger 75. a

As the folded towel moves onto the stacker plate 70, under the impetussupplied by 'belt 67b, it is brought to rest against a main stop member78 (Figs. l and 4). In a conventional arrangement a counting device (notshown in detail) causes stop 78 to lower at intervals to below the levelof the stacker plate, permitting the next article to move somewhatfurther into contact with a second stop 79. When this protruding articleis jmoved upwardly into the main stack, it will, of course, projectoutwardly enough to mark the limit of a counted group. The growing stackof articles is guided and supported by dimensionally adjustable means,later to be described, since it forms a part of the present invention.Sheet metal forms 80 prevent endwise tipping of the stack.

4 The 4general operation of the folding and stacking means has beendescribed sufficiently to permit an understandl tions of the variousnovel features are dependent on each other, so as to function incombination with each other.

The main control shaft All related adjustment controls are operatedthrough a main shaft 83 which runs the full length of the machine base,being journalled in bearings 84 i-n the machine frame at its front andrearfe'nds. It appears in section in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, and is indicatedin dotted line showing in Fig. 1.

The shaft 83 is rocked to effect the required adjustments by means of alinkage from operating lever 85 which is pivoted to a frame side plateat 86 (Fig. 2) to operate a rod 87 connected at its lower end to a rocklever 88. Lever 88 rocks around stub shafts 89 in a bearing 90 in themachine 'base and at its other end has a clevis 88a which operates aroller on a smaller rocker 91 fixed to main shaft 83. The maximum extentof rotation of shaft 83 is indicated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 5.

Lever 85, which manually operates the linkage just described, is shownin some detail in Fig. 9, and comprises a rod portion 85a slidable in a`bore in the main lever and having a pin 85b movable in a slot in the`said main lever Wall to limit forward and -rearward movement of the rodportion 85a. The rod part has an enlarged collar with a shoulder 85e ytoserve as a rear abutmentA for a spring 85d which urges rod 85a outwardlyto the limit permitted by pin 85b. The shoulder 85C also a'buts the'inner arcuate wall of a calibrated member 94. It canfbe seen in Fig. 9that depression of knob 85e permits the lever assembly to be moved upand down the slot in member 94 with maintained stops in any desiredenlargement 94a in the slot. 94a represents a one-half inch increment offold width, the narrowest setting being at the top of the arc.

Folding plate width adjustment In the description of the means wherebythe width of the folding plate may be adjusted, special attention isdirected to Figs. 2, 6, 7 and 8. As will appear, the folding plate 40 issplit longitudinally yinto two distinct portions 40a and 40b, wideningof the plate being, therefore, a matter of moving these two portionsapart or together. In one commercial embodiment the maximum spacing atthe widest separation is three inches, and the width range of the plateis SI/z inches to 81/2 inches. This permits variation in article widthfrom 11 inches to 24 inches.

Each plate hall:` is secured, by welding or otherwise, to a heavy sheetmetal supporting member 96, 97, these members being in turn carried onrespective brackets 98, 99. Each bracket has a respective boss 100, and101, these bosses having axially aligned bores so as to 'be slidabletowards and away from each other on cross shafts 102 and 102a which aresupported in respective end lugs 103 and 104 fixed in end plate 105 onframe mem-bers 33. As well seen in Fig. 6, this mounting of the platehalves overhangs to the right of the rotational axis on shafts 102 and102:1, and therefore the lower end of the brackets carry rollers 106which move on tracks 107 on the frame plate 105.

The 'brackets and their frame halves are moved uniformly andsimultaneously as follows. Hubs and 101 have respective pivoted Ilinkrods 110 and 111 connected thereto and also to the respective ends oftwo opposed arms on a rocking lever 112 which is rockable on a stubshaft 113 supported on frame plate 105 (Fig. 6). Fixed on shaft 113 is acrank arm 114 connected by a link 115 to the end of rock lever 91 onmain shaft 83.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 9, operation of the folding plate widthcontrol should be obvious. With the parts It may `be mentioned that eachnotch.

in full line position, and the plate parts 40a and 40b in contact, knob85E is pushed in and lever 85 swung counterclockwise (Fig. 9) therebylowering rod 87, swinging rock lever 88 counterclockwise (Fig. 2) andcausing rocker 91 to rotate clockwise. This pulls rod 115 downwardly,swings crank 114 clockwise, vrotates rocker 112 clockwise, and pusheslinks 110 and 111 outwardly so as to slide plate portions 40a and 4Gbapart to the broken line position of Figs. 2 and 7, this position beingshown in full line in Fig. 8.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, it will be noted that themeasuring nger 55 extends down through a cutout orifice between plate40a and 40b and exerts downward light pressure against the travellingarticle. By reason of the 'gap between the plate halves in all positionsexcept the narrowest, I have provided supporting means lbetween saidplate halves in the neighborhood of the measuring linger. This supportcomprises an elongated bar 116 extending for the most part beneath thefolding plate 40, and pivoted at 117 on a lug 118 on frame plate 105.The tip 116a (Fig. 7) of bar 116 is bifurcated to straddle finger 55,and extends upwardly just enough to lbe level with the upper surfaces ofplate parts 40a and 4Gb. This upward extension is adjustable 'by screw119 on the end portion 116b of bar 116. Additional bracing means 120,adjustable in length, connects the rbar 116 at an intermediate pointwith the neighborhood of its pivot 117, and this bracing means may evenbe used to bowthe bar, if sufficient stress is placed on thelength-adjusting nut 121.

Turning plate adjustment AIt will be `obvious that as the folding plateportions are moved towards or away from each other the cooperatingturning plates or wings must be changed in' some way so as to maintainthe proper relationship between the outer lateral edges of the foldingplate halves and the respectively adjacent turning plates. While, aftera consideration of the present structure, it will be apparent to thosemechanically inclined that both turning plates could be moved for thispurpose, I have devised an arrangement whereby movement of one turningplate alone is sufficient. The significant factor to be taken care of isthe proper positioning 'of the parallel portions of wings 52 and 53underneath the folding plate in any set position of the folding platehalves. In conjunction with the following description, particularattention may be directed to Figs. 3 and 7.

l In Fig. 7 the full lines show the position of the folding plates 40aand 40b, and the turning plates 52 and 53 for the narrowest fold.Looking from the left end of Fig. 7 the right hand depending portion ofa towel will contact plate portion 52a first, and thereafter thehorizontal part 5 2 so as to be folded rup under foldin-g plate half40b.

. The left lateral edge of plate 52, marked A, is close to the left edgeof folding plate part 40a. Thus if the widest article for thisarrangement, wherein 40a and 4Gb are in contact, 'is being folded, theright side portion turned under -by turning plate 52. will becompletely` supported by said turning plate 52. The left hand turningplate 53 contacts the left depending edge of the towel and turns itupwardly and inwardly, the thus folded up portion resting on turningplate section 53. The edge B of turning plate 53 lies outwardly to theright beyond the folding plate part 40h so that the left side portion ofthe widest article will have full support. The turning plate 53 is fixedin position so that in the narrowest dimension of the folding plateparts there is more than ample room along edge B.

When the folding plate parts 40a and 40h are separated to their widestextent, the left edge of plate part 40a is at C and the right hand edgeof part 40b is at point D.

I Edge B of fixed turning plate 53 is now close to the edge been shiftedinwardly, so that its left edge, formerly marked as A is now at E. It isof interest to note that edge E of plate 52 is again adjacent the lefthand edge C of folding plate part 40a, Ibecause both said edges haveshifted to the left, and this neighboring relationship of the left edgesof members 40a and 52 maintain this relationship at all width settings,their operating linkages being simultaneously operated, andpredetermined to perform this function. The widths of turning plates 52and 53 are such that at maximum width article setting the upturnedstitiener flanges 52e and 53e (Fig. 3) are spaced an ampleclearancedistance away from the outer lateral edges of folding plate parts 40aand 4Gb.

There is actually a reason for making plate 52 adjustably movable. lIfplate 52 were fixed, having the width as shown, then when the foldingplates were extended for a wider fold, the plate edge at A (Fi-g. 7)would be considerably short of the folding plate edge at C so that theoutermost portion of a wide article, namely the right hand dependingportion which is turned inwardly towards the left, would |beunsupported. Or again, if plate 5 2l vto the left to permit turningplate 53 to turn the towel accurately around folding plate part 40a.

The adjusting means for performing the adjustments on folding plateparts and folding wing 52 (the movable wing) is as follows, stillreferring to Figs. 3 and 7.

For moving turning plate 52, while still keeping it parallel to thefolding plate 40 and the other turning plate 53, I use a parallel rulertype of support in which the four pivotal corners of the parallelogrammaintain the same distance, each from its neighbors. Pla-te 52 haschannel-shaped pieces 124 fixed on the under side thereof and extendingoutwardly therebeyond. At their outer end they are bolted to a crossmember 125. The horizontal leg of member 125 is cut out at severalplaces to makev room for hinges 123. Also secured Vto the hinge and tomember 125 are two short pieces 126 which have lugs or ears 127. A rod128 is connected to each hinge, and a rod 129 is pivotally connected toeach lug at 129a. At the lower end rods 128 have collarportions mountedon and secu-red to a shaft 130 which is journalled in a support 131 onthe base. Rods 129 have a clevis 129b connecting to support ear portions131s. Rods 128 and 129 are spaced a substantial distance longitudinally,and more closely in the transverse direction. While these rods do notappear to 'be parallel, when viewed in Fig. 3 the arrangement isactually a true parallel motion linkage since the determining points areat the pivots 130, 123a, 12911 and 129e` (Fig. 3) and these constitutethe corners of an actual parallelogram. Therefore, when plate 52,supported on this parallelogram as will appear, is shifted in or out byrotation of shafts 83 and 130 as will appear, it still maintains itsposition parallel to the folding plate 40 and the fixed' turning plate53.

For shifting plate 52 shaft 130 is rocked by an arm 134 xed to shaft 130and connected by a link rod 135 to a crank arm 136 fixed on main shaft83. Sulicient play is provided to allow for angularity lbetween theshafts, and the link 13S and arm 134 being twisted slightly to suit.

It is apparent, therefore, that when main shaft 83 -is rocked to adjustthe folding plate parts 40a and 40b, it also moves wing 52 appropriatelyto maintain the position heretofore described.

Stacker guide adjustment Patent No. 2,488,674 for a Stacking Device forFolding Machines. The main features of vthe stacker shown in thispresent application are similar to those in said prior patent, and theoperation thereof is essentially the same,

a rod 156 with a lug 157 on the frame.

withl the exception of the guide adjustments soon to be described.Special reference may be had lin the present portion of the descriptionto Figs. l, 4 and 5.

vFrom a prior portion of this application it will be recalled that anarticle already folded longitudinally and transversely, arrives onstacker plate 70 under the impetus supplied by belts 67 and 67a, and atthe finish by belt 67b. The vertically reciprocable stacker plate 70 israised under the influence of a cam, not shown herein in detail, toplace the newly-arrived towel in stacked contact with the lower surfaceof a stack of towels supported on two sets of fingers 139, these ngersbeing'withdrawn laterally about the time the stacker plate with the newarticle approaches the bottom of the stack. As the lstacker plate passesthe level of the fingers, they kagain move inwardly beneath the elevatedstack. The stacker plate is then lowered leaving the stack supported onthe fingers. plate, as well shown at the right end of Fig. 4, is slottedout to match fingers 139 to permit the plate to pass the finger assemblyin vertical movement, this being of course not possible if a towel islying on the plate, hence the lateral withdrawal of the fingers topermit passing at that time on the upward movement of the plate. Thevertical movement of the plate must, therefore, be timed in synchronismwith the withdrawal of the fingers. The stack supporting fingers havearms 140 (shown on the left side of Fig. in full line) secured to shafts141, one on each side, these shafts being rockable by means of armsriding on cams in conventional fashion.

Shafts 141 also support guide adjusting arms 144 and 144a (Fig. 5), thearms being free on the shafts. There are two arms 144 on the left sideand two arms 144:1 on the right side, longitudinally spaced. Arms 144support an angle member 145 and arms 144a support an angle member 145a.Considering only the left side, because both sides are constructed andfunction equivalently, angle member 145 carries a pair of hinges 146 towhich are attached yan elongated guide member 147 which has a series ofinwardly extending fingers having upright guide faces 148 and thesefingers fit in interlaced relationship with long and short stacker platefingers 70a and 70b. The longer. fingers provide the required width ofstacker surface when the machine is set for wider folds.

The upstanding finger ends or faces 148 make a slight angle with thelongitudinal centerline, and the first couple of right-and-left pairsare, in addition, spaced slightly wider than the others, for the purposeof guiding the towel back into the stacker without catching the frontcorners. Beginning a short distance back from the front end, two thinsheet metal guide plates 149 having cutouts at the'bottom, are securedto end faces 148.

These plates 149 cooperate with stack guide bars 150 being heldresiliently against bars 150 by narrow leaf springs 151. At the top,bars 150 carry a long stud or screw 152 which goes through a hole instandards 153 and is retained by a nut 154. A tension spring 155 urgesbars 150 inwardly towards the narrow spacing, and this, along with theresilience of plates 149, provides enough side pressure on the stack tohold it solidly. In the case of a wider-fold, the guide members taper inspacing from the bottom to the top, and as the stack grows it moves thebars 150 further apart compressing the springs 155. A parallel linkageis also used here to pre-adjust the stacker guides for varying lateralWidths. The guide 147 has a rearward extension 147a and this is linkedby Rod 156 is pivotally connected at its top end 156a to l47a and at itsbottom endf156b to lug 157. The parallel link centers are 156a,1156b,hinge center 146 and shaft 141.

A glance at Fig. 5 shows the manner in which the stacker guides areoperated. A crank lug 158 attached to main shaft `83 has a tie rod 159running to a lever arm 144b integral with arm 144a previously described.Simultaneous operation of the guide-carryingV arms 14,4

The stacker asaasts and 144a is assured by the link 160 whichoperatively connects both said arms 144 and 144a. It will, of course, berecalled that operation of the main shaft 83 to move the stacker guidesin or out also simultaneously operates the folding plate width and theposition of one turning wing with respect to the other turning wing andthe folding plate parts.

A further article guide is provided to direct the folded piece vto thecenter of the stacker lane for any width. This comprises a pair ofcxible sheet metal strips 161 positioned on edge just above conveyorbelts 67 (Fig. 4). The front ends (left of Fig. 4) are fixed with widespacing. The rear ends are carried on rods 162 which are movabletransversely with respect to the stacker plate approach, since the rods162 pass through holes in the machine side plates and their outer endsare pivotally connected at 162a to bosses on a movable guide plateextension 147b. At this end of strips 161, therefore,"the

spacing corresponds at all width settings to the entrance spacing of thestacker guide members 148. The folded articles will, of course, usuallybe fairly well centered when they reach guide strips 67 because of thecentral position of the longitudinal folding means.

What I claim is:

1. In a folding apparatus wherein a longitudinal fold is performed byadvancing a limp at article along longitudinally split, horizontalforming means having a first and a second outer lateral edge, eachextending in the direction of movement of the article, the articlehaving respective lateral edge portions depending over adjacent outerlateral edges of said forming means, and wherein a turning wing isdisposed in cooperating relationship adjacent said first outer lateraledge of said forming means for contacting and turning inwardly one saiddepending edge portion around said first lateral edge of said formingmeans to thereby effect a longitudinal fold along said first lateraledge, means for adapting said apparatus to the folding of articles ofdifferent widths comprising means for producing relative lateralmovement between the split portions of said forming means to vary theoverall width of said forming means, and for simultancously adjustingthe position of said turning wing whereby to maintain an edge of saidturning wing in constant adjacent alignment with respect to the secondouter lateral edge of said forming means.

2. A folding apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a second turningwing is provided adjacent said second outer lateral edge of said formingmeans whereby to turn inwardly the second said depending edge portion ofsaid article around said second outer lateral edge of said formingmeans.

3. Folding apparatus for folding moving limp, at articles comprising afiat plate split longitudinally to provide a first and a second plateportion having respective first and second outer lateral edges, meansfor advancing an article along said plate, said article having ment ofthe article and for simultaneously adjusting the position of saidturning wing also at right angles to the path of movement of the articlewhereby to maintain an edge portion of said turning wing in adjacentcooperating relationship with respect to the said outer lateral edge ofsaid second plate portion, and a second turning wing disposed adjacentsaid second lateral edge POQn of said second plate portion.

assegna 4. Apparatus for folding and stacking moving limp at articles ofvarying widths comprising forming means split longitudinally to providefirst and second portions having respective first and second outerlateral edges extending in the direction of movement of the articles,means for moving an article along said forming means with the lateraledge portions of the article depending respectively over said first andsecond outer lateral edges of said forming means, a first turning'wingadjacent said first lateral edge of said first portion for contactingand turning inwardly the adjacent depending lateral edge portion of thearticle around said first lateral edge of said forming means, means forproducing relative lateral movement at right angles to the path ofmovement of the article between the first and second portions of saidforming means and for simultaneously adjusting the position of saidturning wing also at right angles to the path of movement of the articlewhereby to maintain an edge portion of said turning wing in adjacentcooperating relationship with respect to the second outer lateral edgeof said second forming means, a second turning wing adjacent said outerlateral edge portion of said second forming means, stacking meansincluding a stacking plate for receiving folded articles, right and leftstacking guides movable inwardly and outwardly with respect to articlesreceived on said stacking plate, and width control means for producingrelative movement between said right and left stacking guides at rightangles to the path of movement of the article simultaneously with therelative lateral movement between said first and second portions of saidforming means as aforesaid, said width control means being operativelylinked to said means for producing said lateral movement between saidrst and second portions of said forming means.

5. Apparatus for folding and stacking limp fiat arti- 4 cles of varyingwidths comprising a flat horizontal plate split longitudinally toprovide first and second plate portion, having respective first andsecond outer lateral edges, means for advancing an article along saidplate with the lateral edge portions of the article dependingrespectively adjacent the outer first and second lateral edges of saidplate portions, a first turning wing disposed adjacent the first saidplate portion for contacting and turning inwardly one said dependingedge portion of said article around said first outer lateral edge ofsaid first plate portion to thereby effect a longitudinal fold alongsaid first outer lateral edge, stacking means including a stacking platefor receiving folded articles, right and left stacking guides movableinwardly and outwardly with respect to articles received on saidstacking plate, a main control shaft, linkage means operativelyconnected to said shaft and to said first and second plate portions, andother linkage means operatively connected to said right and leftstacking guide whereby rotation of said `main control shaftsimultaneously effects width-adjustment movements of said folding plateportions and said stacking guides, means for maintaining said secondouter lateral edge of said second plate portion in operative alignmentwith an edge portion of said first turning wing, a second turning wingand means for maintaining said second turning wing in operativerelationship with said second lateral edge of said second plate portion.

6. Apparatus for folding limp flat articles of varying widths comprisingthin fiat horizontal forming means split longitudinally to provide firstand second portions, means for moving an article along the upper surfaceof said forming means with its first and second lateral edges dependingfrom the respective first and second lateral edges of said formingmeans, a first turning wing disposed in cooperating relationshipadjacent a first lateral edge of said forming means for contacting andturning inwardly the first said depending edge portion around the`adjacent first' lateral edge of said forming means, means for producinglateral separation movement between said first and second portions ofsaid forming means, a control shaft, linking means operatively con-.

first turning wing to maintain said turning wing in effective operatingposition with respect to said forming means, said linking means beingadapted to maintain an edge portion of said first turning wing inoperative relationship with said second lateral edge of said formingmeans in any separated position of said lirst and second portions of theforming means, and a second turning wing disposed adjacent said secondlateral edge of said forming means.

7. Folding apparatus for folding and stacking limp flat articlescomprising horizontal forming means split longitudinally to providefirst and second portions, means for moving a limp flat article alongsaid forming means with its first and second lateral edge portionsdepending respectively from the first and second outer lateral edges ofsaid forming means, a first turning wing disposed in cooperatingrelationship adjacent a first lateral edge of said forming means forcontacting and turning inwardly the first depending lateral edge portionof said article around the first lateral edge of the first portion ofsaid forming means to thereby effect a longitudinal fold along saidfirst lateral edge, means for producing relative separation movementbetween said first and second portions laterally to effect a widthadjustment of said forming means and for simultaneously moving saidfirst turning wing to maintain an edge portion thereof in constantalignment with the second lateral edge of said forming means, stackingmeans including a stacking plate for receiving folded articles, rightand left stacking guides movable inwardly and outwardly with respect toarticles received on said stacking plate, width control means forproducing relative movement between said right and left stacking guides,and a second turning wing disposed adjacent said second lateral yedge ofsaid second portion o said forming means.

8. In a folding apparatus wherein a longitudinal fold is performed byadvancing a limp, flat article along a forming means, side portions ofthe article depending from first and second lateral edges thereof, andwherein said side portions successively engage respective first andsecond turning plates, the contour of which change progressively fromvertical to horizontal disposition, whereby each said side portion isturned inwardly and upwardly into folded relation, and wherein thehorizontal portion of the first turning plate continues below andparallel to said forming means to support the firstfold ply, the outeredge of said supporting plate portion being substantially aligned withthe second lateral edge of said forming means so that the second sideportion of the article is folded about both last-named edges, means foradapting said apparatus to the folding of articles of different widths,comprising a longitudinallydivided forming means providing respectivefirst and second lateral folding edges, a laterally-shiftable firstturning plate, means for producing relative lateral movement betweensaid first andfsecond forming means sections to vary the overall widththereof, and for simultaneously i laterally moving said first turningplate in coincidence with said second section of the forming meanswhereby to maintain the above-recited alignment of the pair ofsecond-fold edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent

